Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood against the walls of blood vessels, and the magnitude of this force depends on the cardiac output and the resistance of the blood vessels. Hypertension is defined as having a blood pressure higher than 140 over 90 mmHg. It is considered severe if the pressure is above 180/120. Hypertension is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood out to the body and contributes to hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis to stroke, kidney disease and to the development of heart failure.

High blood pressure often has no symptoms. Over time, if untreated, it can cause health conditions Causes of Hypertension:

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Alcohol consumption
• Chronic kidney disease
• Adrenal and thyroid disorders
• Stress
• Genetics